Introducing our 7th Hall of Fame Class
We are thrilled to announce the new members of the Newport Harbor High School Hall of Fame. While those recognized have pursued diverse goals, what unites them is the quality of their work and the way they embody our school’s most cherished values—personal excellence and service to the community. They make us proud to be Sailors!
Please join us to honor them in a special ceremony on Thursday April 25. Begin outside under the tower at 6:00pm for a meet-and-greet, and then take your seat by 7:00pm for a wonderful evening of Sailor spirit.
All are welcome, and as we anticipate a large crowd, you'll want to save your spot today. There is no charge for tickets as we want everyone to be able to attend, but if you can support this event with a Donation, we would be very grateful!
The Alumni inductees include:
Steve Aoki Class of 1995, record-breaking musician & philanthropist
Denny Bean Class of 1970, outstanding athlete & developer
Seymour Beek Class of 1951, community builder & master sailor
Arlene Louise Goodfield Class of 1982, trailblazing pilot
David McKenna Class of 1986, thought-provoking screenwriter
Robert Nealy Class of 1963, dedicated waterman, teacher & inventor
Gina Heads Sudaria Class of 1994, devoted athlete & educator
The honored Faculty are:
Scott & Janet Dukes, engaging science teacher & innovative culinary instructor
Richard England, inspiring band leader
Please only reserve Tickets that you're sure you will use,
so that everyone who wants to attend can have a chance at a spot!
Sponsor this Event!
We are looking for Sponsors to put their name on our Hall of Fame and help keep this cherished tradition alive. If that’s you, reach out today at:
Your Sponsorship, and any other proceeds, will support our Scholarship program. Because of the generosity of Newport Harbor High School alumni like you, we have awarded over $100,000 to help the career dreams of 46 deserving students come true.
Last June, we recognized ten amazing students from the Class of 2023, and we were able to offer our 2022 winners a second year of support. We received a record number of applications, and after the hardships of the pandemic, we continued to see more need than ever before. So if you have $5, $50, or $500 to contribute to the next generation of Sailors, we’d be most appreciative.
Make sure to tell your NHHS friends & family, so they can get their seats before they fill up!
Once you reserve your spots, check your email for your confirmation (look in your Spam folder). Please present this email (in print or on your phone) at the Hall of Fame.
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**We will monitor and follow all local, state, and national health guidelines. We will communicate any changes as soon as possible.**
Future Nominations
With over 90 years of outstanding Sailors, this year the committee had more nominations than ever before to consider and the competition was fierce. If you’ve nominated someone in the past, they will remain on the list for next time.
The committee is always looking ahead and accepting new nominations, so if you have excellent Alumni and Faculty to suggest, take a look at our past honorees for inspiration, and then let us know who else should be considered in the future.
How-to Nominate:
1) Explore those who have already been honored below
2) Read the nomination form and gather ALL the information needed
3) Fill in the form and submit (self-nominations are not accepted)
History of the Hall of Fame
Our Hall of Fame tradition began in June 2014, when the Newport Harbor High School Alumni Association inducted our first Class of Alumni and Faculty. We have recognized award-winning athletes, brave military personnel, ground-breaking scientists, public servants, artists, writers and actors, as well as beloved teachers, coaches, and administrators—all individuals who reflect our alma mater’s most cherished values of good citizenship and service to others.
We celebrated our previous Hall of Fame for our 6th class on the evening of Thursday October 13, 2022 with our Sailor family. Our honorees gathered in front of the Robert B. Wentz Theater at 6:30pm to kick off a meet-and-greet hour with family and friends.
The ceremony commenced at 7:30pm with NHHS principal Dr. Sean Boulton, and Laura DeSoto (Class of 1976 and Alumni co-President) served as MC. Three past honorees Dr. Joe Corbo, Mary Lyons, and James “Walkie” Ray introduced our new Hall of Fame class. Each of our “great eight” who spoke offered inspiration about how to create a life of meaning through service to others.
It was a wonderful evening, and if you missed it, you can WATCH the event or see PHOTOS here:
Each Hall of Fame ceremony has been unique, including a special moment our first year when Dr. Don Miyada, Class of 1942, returned to finally walk at graduation 72 years late. You won’t want to miss out, so make sure to sign up for our newsletter to be the first to hear about our next event!
FEATURED Hall of Fame Moment
Dr. Don Miyada (Class of 1942) began at Newport Harbor High School in 1938, unaware that in the next few years, world events would keep him from his graduation day. In the spring of 1942, Don Miyada and his family were sent to the Poston War Relocation Center, a Japanese Internment camp in Arizona. He treasured the NHHS diploma he received at Poston by mail, because many of his peers from other schools were not given their diplomas; however, he missed the opportunity to celebrate this accomplishment. When the Seniors of the Class of 2014 learned of Dr. Miyada’s story, they were so moved they decided to invite him to be a part of their own ceremony, and so right a decades-old wrong.